Common Law Marriage States 2024

	Alabama	Previously Allowed
	Alaska	Not Allowed
	Arizona	Not Allowed
	Arkansas	Not Allowed
	California	Not Allowed
	Colorado	Allowed
	Connecticut	Not Allowed
	Delaware	Not Allowed
	Florida	Previously Allowed
	Georgia	Previously Allowed
	Hawaii	Not Allowed
	Idaho	Not Allowed
	Illinois	Not Allowed
	Indiana	Previously Allowed
	Iowa	Allowed
	Kansas	Allowed
	Kentucky	Not Allowed
	Louisiana	Not Allowed
	Maine	Not Allowed
	Maryland	Not Allowed
	Massachusetts	Not Allowed
	Michigan	Not Allowed
	Minnesota	Not Allowed
	Mississippi	Not Allowed
	Missouri	Not Allowed
	Montana	Allowed
	Nebraska	Not Allowed
	Nevada	Not Allowed
	New Hampshire	Allowed
	New Jersey	Not Allowed
	New Mexico	Not Allowed
	New York	Not Allowed
	North Carolina	Not Allowed
	North Dakota	Not Allowed
	Ohio	Previously Allowed
	Oklahoma	Not Allowed
	Oregon	Not Allowed
	Pennsylvania	Previously Allowed
	Rhode Island	Not Allowed
	South Carolina	Allowed
	South Dakota	Not Allowed
	Tennessee	Not Allowed
	Texas	Allowed
	Utah	Allowed
	Vermont	Not Allowed
	Virginia	Not Allowed
	Washington	Not Allowed
	West Virginia	Not Allowed
	Wisconsin	Not Allowed
	Wyoming	Not Allowed

Introduction

Common-law marriage remains a legally nuanced and culturally complex institution in the United States. Simplistically defined, a common-law marriage is a form of irregular marriage where a couple, living together and portraying themselves as married to the world, are considered legally married, despite not having a formal wedding or court acknowledgment. This arrangement, dating back to colonial America's grueling conditions, exists today in varying capacities across select states in the U.S. The

The number of U.S. states fully recognizing common-law marriage can be counted on two hands. The states of Colorado, Texas, Montana, Utah, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, and New Hampshire extend recognition to common-law unions.
A handful of states, such as Alabama, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, have 'Previously Allowed' common-law marriages. This means common-law marriages entered into before a certain date in these states are lawfully acknowledged, but no new such relationships are recognized.
The vast majority of states, including populous ones such as California, New York, and Michigan, among others, do not allow common-law marriages.
Importantly, in the states where common-law marriage is currently allowed, the couple must meet specific criteria - living together for an extended period, portraying themselves as a married couple, and intending to be married.

By Region

Alabama

See Less

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Previously Allowed

Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

California

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Previously Allowed

Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Previously Allowed

Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Previously Allowed

Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Previously Allowed

Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Previously Allowed

Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Allowed

Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Common Law Marriage Status

Not Allowed

Additional Miscellaneous Datasets

Common Law Marriage States

Introduction

By Region

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Additional Miscellaneous Datasets

Community Property States

Constitutional Carry States

Cost Of Illegal Immigration By State

Countries That Don't Use The Metric System